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Health & Fitness

Meet Ms. Ashley Goldflam, St. John School 3rd Grade Teacher

St. John School has had the pleasure of hiring two outstanding new teachers to become part of the St. John School family. We are extremely excited about their experience and all the knowledge they will be imparting on our children. 

Meet Ms. Ashley Goldflam, St. John School 3rd Grade Teacher 

1.    Tell us about your background?
I am originally from Long Island, New York. I attended The Pennsylvania State University to earn my Bachelor’s degree and then continued on to CUNY Hunter College in Manhattan, New York to earn my Master’s degree. At CUNY Hunter I became certified in Childhood General Education grades 1-6 and Early Childhood Education. Having understood early on in my studies at Hunter that all children learn differently I became fascinated with different techniques and strategies which could be used to reach every learner. This prompted me to earn my Master’s degree in Childhood and Early childhood Special Education as well. P.S.166 in Long Island City, New York is a school that I was assigned to student teach at during my years at Hunter College. My relationships with both the staff and children were so strong that I immediately began working at P.S.166 after my graduation with my Master’s degree.  

2. What attracted you to teaching?
Growing up I had two very influential teachers. One of them was my second grade teacher. She made me feel scared to ask questions. She did not give me confidence to raise my hand and be proud of my answers. Then I had my fifth grade teacher Mr. Abramowitz. This man gave me the confidence to speak in front of my classmates with confidence, enjoy learning, and provided incredible self assurance to me about the potential of my academics. This teacher changed my life and is the reason why I became a teacher. It is so important to give children confidence and knowledge that they can carry throughout their lives. Knowing that I have a small part in this kind of positive impact is so wonderful and is the reason why I am a teacher. 

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3. What is most rewarding about being a teacher?
The most rewarding aspect of being a teacher is what I like to call the “light bulb”. Children often times get frustrated when they do not understand a topic. Sometimes it may take weeks or months for that child to fully grasp and understand a particular subject matter. The best part of being a teacher is seeing a smile on a child’s face and hearing them say, “I GET IT! I UNDERSTAND.” The child’s face completely lights up and it is so much fun and exciting to witness.  

4. What is something your students have taught you?
My students teach me something new each day. I have a love of culture and learning about different backgrounds. I love when my students teach me about aspects of their culture such as discussions on different languages and foods. I had students this year from Portugal, Italy, Ireland, and many other interesting places. Learning about t other languages that these children can speak and about the delicacies they eat from their native countries is always fascinating to me because understanding, respecting, and appreciating different cultures is incredibly important. 

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5. What are your first impressions of St. John School?
My first impression of St. John School is the beautiful environment that it is situated in. The school is set in a picturesque cobblestone square across from the Paul Revere house. It is a quaint and charming place. Another first impression is the happy and lively faces of all of the children in the classrooms and hallways. The kids are such enthusiastic learners and their enthusiasm radiates throughout the school. The staff is also incredibly friendly and I am happy to say that I have already made many fabulous friends.  

6. What are your hobbies and interests?
Other than teaching, I try to spend as much time with family as possible. I love relaxing with my family at our house and having a nice family dinner together. I also enjoy playing tennis and traveling.  

7. Tell us something interesting about yourself that your students do not know.
Something interesting about myself that my students do not know is that I have the cutest two year old niece named Jolie Rose. She has red hair and brown eyes and a beautiful smile.  

8. If you could be one super hero, who would it be and why?
In my mind a super hero is a woman who is hard working, kind to others, confidant, and happy. Any super hero that fits that mold is one that I would like to be.

 

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